Over at Kotaku there's a post concerning the gaming possibilities on Apple's upcoming tablet device. Whilst they're focussing on up scaled iPhone games and such, I'm wondering if it wouldn't be a neat platform to launch some upgraded boardgames on?

There are plenty of boardgames out there that require quite some management, which bogs down the game, prone to mistakes, and makes it outright unenjoyable for some. A tablet device could overcome all these issues, and whilst being portable, could be used in a social setting.

And there's more advantages. A tablet would allow players to keep secret information, perform secret actions, and prevent cheating of any sort. So not only is it viable for "ports" of complex existing games, it adds another layer of functionality which is simply not possible in current boardgames.

Of course I'll miss the tangible aspect of a board game, but I'm keen to see if anything will happen in this area.

Tablet PCs have around for quite some years. Just because Apple makes a nifty version of it, won't change the fact, that board games are still board games, and computer games are computer games.

As a person who plays about an equal amount online as in person I disagree with this statement. The distinction between digital games and physical space table-top games has blurred considerably and will only get fuzzier with time. Playing games on BSW or vassal has become pretty common around here, trading the physical medium for a digital one doesn't change the game too much.

The next step currently taking place is the mushing together of the mediums. With things like like Arcade Game/CCG hybrids becoming more popular and tabletop D&D via touch screen not far from reality, I imagine a popular tablet game scene could very well materialize withing the next few years.

At some point it will all be tabletop gaming like in Ender's Game right?

As a person who plays about an equal amount online as in person I disagree with this statement. The distinction between digital games and physical space table-top games has blurred considerably and will only get fuzzier with time. Playing games on BSW or vassal has become pretty common around here, trading the physical medium for a digital one doesn't change the game too much.

May i assume that with "here" you mean Korea? No offence, but Asians go completely crazy when it comes to computer games.
And your statement could have been made 30 years ago when computers came up. Yet, board games do still exist, and are doing better than ever, despite the computer and without the computer.
And yes, playing the same game digital is very different. Online there is no social component, no feeling of group activity, you don't see your opponents and/or the reactions.
If you just want to play the game, sure, do it online. But i almost never play online. because it isn't nearly the same as playing with a game group.

Tablet PCs have around for quite some years. Just because Apple makes a nifty version of it, won't change the fact, that board games are still board games, and computer games are computer games.

After that we shall see a rapid revolution in face-to-face social entertainment, of which the board games are a prime application example.

Unfortunately I wouldn't consider that a given. There's still much speculation around which direction Apple will market the device to. And I'm assuming most other developpers will try to compete on those same levels, rather than take another approach.
If there is talk of any sort of gaming, then I have high hopes for eventual development of social gaming. Without Apple's backing however, I doubt we'll ever see any really innovative things coming from 3rd party developpers. Maybe a one-off, but not a whole scene.

Not true, there's a distinct difference between making a feature and making it usable. Some of the key enablers for making it work for board games: multi-touch support, capacitive displays for more natural response on touch.

Actually all we are waiting for is to have capacitive, table-layout devices with large enough screen and multitouch support. After that we shall see a rapid revolution in face-to-face social entertainment, of which the board games are a prime application example.

Yet board games are board games. And anything that will be played on such a device is a computer game. No matter how good this thing is in the end. Even if this device might be something like a miniature Microsoft Surface, which has been in development for years and where everyone drools on when they see the D&D demo, it is still a computer.
I prefer the face-to-face social entertainment with my 20€ board game. I wouldn't get my group to buy a 500€ Apple iPad just to play games together. And the people who buy this kind of machine won't become board games because of it.
Rapid revolution? I doubt it. Sure, new games, but this can already be done in the iPod Touch and there hasn't been a revolution.

I'll hold on to my cardboard a little bit longer.

I don't mean to say that there will be a revolution, far from it. There will be relatively few people who might use such a device for a form of computerised boardgaming.

But still, for those who would, it's interesting to think about the possibilities that might ensue.

Crosswords is apparently going to be the first game formatted for the Apple tablet:

http://mashable.com/2010/01/26/apple-tablet-first-game-cross...

Debbie

Obviously portability would be a benefit, but really, if I just wanted digital F2F gaming, I would probably stick to Civ4 and Street Fighter. So while I am sure there will be some nice boardgame ports using that nice 10" screen, I don't think they will be very popular.